Delarare reacts;

[1corona4u]

It may sound odd to say, but we want to congratulate Sen. Joe Biden on his just-ended campaign for the presidency.

Many people in his home state would have preferred to have had a chance to vote for the state's senior senator for president. But, because of the country's strange way of picking presidents, Delawareans never got the chance.

Sen. Biden, though, still deserves a word of congratulations. Certainly, he deserves it for the way he ran his campaign. It was a straight-forward, honest attempt at talking about the issues. But more than that, he deserves congratulations for the content of his message over those long and arduous months.

He refused to pander. He told listeners in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina what America is in store for. He spoke about the dangers not only of our past policies, but the foolishness of many politically convenient, but strategically flawed solutions. He didn't duck and weave and spout nonsense.

More than once, he stood alone amid the other Democratic contenders who were only too happy to sway with the popular winds of the day. Sen. Biden spoke his mind. He told the truth as he knew it -- about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, crime in the streets, and responsibility in Washington.

Sen. Biden did what few other politicians are ever willing to do. He told voters there are consequences to their choices. And he called his fellow Democrats to task when they made fanciful, voter-pleasing claims of ending the war overnight.

One doesn't have to agree with the senator's analysis of the problems facing the country or believe his solutions are the best. But it is impossible to avoid facing the fact that Joe Biden influenced the 2008 presidential campaign in a positive way.

He forced the candidates and the pundits to go beyond the sound bite.

For that reason alone, it is unfortunate that he has to leave the race.

The best thing that can happen now is for his influence to linger.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080105/OPINION11/801050313/1112/OPINION

[gateley]

1. Well stated -- exactly! Thanks for posting this! nt

[jillan]

2. That's great!